Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway intends to start a BA at Uni Sydney in August. Presumably the university has ensured Her Royal Highness’ place is within its’ international student cap.
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What a happy coincidence for ANU that the Nixon Report on bullying, harassment, nepotism and more on campus over many tears was released the day before former VC Brian Schmidt spoke about sovereign research capability at the National Press Club. It was a way more newsy issue than his successor Genevieve Bell’s savings plan.
Professor Schmidt fielded what he called a “not-unexpected question” with grace.
“The review clearly shines light on problems at ANU while I was Vice-Chancellor and did not make easy reading for me,” he said.
“The hard reality is that with 20,000 students and 4,000 staff members you do not get everything right all the time and I can honestly say I personally took no shortcuts and did everything within my ability. But I still acknowledge that people missed out and had bad things done to them and I have to take responsibility for that.”
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Sarah Henderson does not join the Opposition frontbench. The new Education Shadow is Tasmanian Senator Jonathon Duniam, assisted by Zoe McKenzie.
The indefatigably polite Luke Sheehy from Universities Australia farewelled Senator Henderson, saying she “was passionate and gutsy, and I will miss our robust discussions.” Cynics suggests that given her aggressive committee style, a queue will form to dance on her political internment.
Scott Buchholz gets skills and training, Melissa Price takes science and Andrew Bragg, productivity. Paul Scarr will probably be lobbied more than all three combined, with his new role as Immigration shadow.
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Jason Clare told ABC Radio Adelaide that once the Australian Tertiary Education Commission is in business (next month!) it will be looking at the Job Ready Graduates funding model, “and what change can happen.” He did not say what or when, but arts, business and law students slugged with huge HECS should not hold their breath – it is way too late to reduce fees, if that is what is intended, in 2026.
It might also be too late for the announced transition to the new Managed Growth Funding Model for Commonwealth Supported Places and there will be even greater levels of anticipation for the Needs-based Funding Model, which is slated to commence on 1 January next year.
It appears that international caps and lower local demand are alarming big city universities who need to keep their numbers up and are not fussed if that means fewer CSP’s for regional unis in 2026, ’27 or ever.
ATEC starting probably can’t come soon enough for Education Minister Jason Clare who, if his Adelaide interview is any indication, is much keener to concentrate on good news school announcements. The happy condition for Commonwealth schools ministers is they administer no schools nor employee any teachers.
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Jacqui Lambie continues as a Senator for Tasmania, finally declared winner of the State’s sixth seat. This is excellent news for all who hope Vice-Chancellors appear at a Senate committee inquiry into what they and their peers are paid. Senator Lambie introduced a Bill to the previous Parliament to cap VC pay at the $430,000 the Treasurer receives. It was before the upper house – and the Senate Standing Committee on Education and Employment willing – will again be.
This would not be the result managements hoped for. The Committee inquiry last term received just six submissions, presumably on the assumption that the Bill would go away if Senator Lambie, as was widely expected, lost.
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At ANU, Francis Markam is elected to the governing Council. He was the National Tertiary Education Union’s endorsed candidate. Dr Markham replaced Liz Allen who resigned in protest at pretty much everything Council isn’t doing to stop VC Genevieve Bell’s restructure plan. Dr Markam joins continuing staff elected members, Lyndall Strazdins and Megan Easton.
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Australian Catholic U VC Zlatko Skrbris has been drumming up business in Vietnam, of the students from there coming here kind. This seems far too modest. In February the Socialist Republic’s government announced international universities can establish their own in-country campuses. It is part of a plan to “to meet the needs of intellectual economic growth and deep global integration.”
RMIT has long demonstrated how it is done – setting up a Ho Chi Minh City campus in 2000 – it now has 12 000 students and produced a $12m surplus on $223m in revenue last year. Plus it would likely be an easier market than India. Since the government there opened the market, a queue of Australian, US and UK institutions has formed to set up shop.
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The National Tertiary Education Union is harrumphing about “governance bin-fires” at universities. “We need government action as university Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors continue to fail to get their houses in order,” tweets president Alison Barnes. Perhaps it has not occurred to the comrades that once government starts intervening, academic autonomy is toast. They might want to call staff associations at Harvard U, which President Trump wants to be brown bread.
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The James Martin Institute policy-development partnership of the NSW Government and State universities is no more. It has chrysalised into the Australian Public Policy Institute, selling advisory services to the premier State and Commonwealth governments. JMI’s precisely-targeted digital journal The Policymaker continues.
But another Sydney policy tank is no more. In 2017 the universities of New South Wales, Queensland and Wollongong established the NUW Alliance to drive research and service for greater-greater Sydney. Western Sydney U later joined. Great things were expected of the partnership which then premier Gladys Berejiklian launched at a big-end of town event. And a success it has been, according to a UNSW announcement, which also mentions NUW’s “formal support structures” are over.
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Despite all the complaints (morning Group of Eight) about the Government not joining the EU Horizon Europe research funding scheme, it turns out it is involved in a modest manner. The National Health and Medical Research Council “is considering” support for projects involving Australian researchers which the EU picks for 2026.
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Carolyn Evans has been formally anointed as sector monarch, taking over as Chair of Universities Australia from UniSA VC David Lloyd. Professor Evans has led Griffith University since 2019 and has been joined by Rufus Black, Harlene Hayne and Andrew Parfitt on the Board, along with continuing Board Members Attila Brungs, Adam Shoemaker, Renne Leon, Zlatko Skrbis and CEO Luke Sheehy.
Professor Evans said she was eager to get to work with members, industry and government.
“Now more than ever, our sector needs reliable and proper policy and financial settings to continue to provide the skills, knowledge and innovation our country needs to grow and prosper in the years ahead,” Professor Evans said.